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Commission would consider revisiting approval of South Cove

The city commission would consider revisiting its approval of the South Cove Natural Area, if anyone came forward with complaints about feeling threatened for their position on the waterfront project, Mayor Lois Frankel said Thursday. But so far, no such complaints, she said.

The statement followed the conviction Wednesday of former county commissioner Jeff Koons, for threatening opponents of South Cove, an environmental project he fostered. Koons resigned after his arrest Tuesday and pleaded guilty the next day to one felony count of extortion and one misdemeanor count each of perjury and violating open meeting laws. He was sentenced to five years probation.

The roughly $3 million project, under construction in the Lake Worth Lagoon just north of the Royal Palm Bridge, will create three mangrove-covered islets, connected by a boardwalk to South Flagler Drive. Koons threatened a representative of a nearby office building owner who opposed the boardwalk, Flagler Center Properties LLP.

County Administrator Bob Weisman said the Koons conviction will not stop the county project.

But it’s not clear what impact a city rehearing of its approval might have. Though a county project, it required city commission approval for the boardwalk.

The city granted that approval in June, despite complaints that pedestrian access to the islets could generate traffic.

Peter Robbins, spokesperson for the city, said he didn’t know if the commission would cast a revote on the project. “I think it would just depend on what we hear and who we hear it from. I think the commission is keeping that part open-ended, in terms of the action they will take,” Robbins said.